4 PEACE HIP–HOP GROUP TO FILM MUSIC VIDEO AT THE SUFFOLK COUNTY HOUSE OF CORRECTION

The Local four man hip–hop group 4 Peace will be filming a portion
of their music video for the song “Start Peace” at the Suffolk
County Sheriff’s Department House of Correction this week. Three members
of the quartet visited the facility on Thursday, July 20, shortly before
appearing on the Sheriff’s Department weekly BNN cable show, Common
Ground.

The members of 4 Peace, Edo G., D Quest, Twice Thou, and Wyatt Jackson,
have been part of the Boston hip–hop scene for years, either
in other groups or working solo. They came together last winter after
an emotional anti–violence meeting at the Jubilee Church in Mattapan.

“After the meeting, Rodney Dailey came up to us and said we
should do a song promoting peace,” said Twice Thou. “A
few days later, Wyatt started making calls to get a group together
to do it.”

Dailey, founder of the Gang Peace and Street Peace programs, now works
for the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department, helping ex–offenders
find employment and reducing recidivism.

4 Peace hopes that by producing an album and video promoting peace
they will be able to reach an audience that might not respond to other
types of anti–violence programs.

“You can’t preach the message,” said Twice Thou. “You’ve
got to bring it in a vehicle people already know and relate to.” D
Quest agreed, saying, “We might have a better chance at getting
the message across to kids before they get in to trouble.”

By filming a portion of their music video at the House of Correction,
4 Peace hopes that they will be able to have an effect on both the
at risk youth who may become involved in crime and violence, and the
offenders who have already committed crimes but have the opportunity
to turn their lives around. “Kids look up to criminals and think
that going to jail is cool. If we can show the inmates promoting peace,
maybe the kids who look up to them will promote peace too,” said
Twice Thou.

The group’s work doesn’t stop with their music. Earlier
this year, the group unveiled a “Start Peace” t-shirt line,
sold at Twice Thou’s store Antonio Ansaldi, to counter the “Stop
Snitchin’” shirts that have been credited with intimidating
police witnesses and interfering with police investigations. Half of
the money raised by the shirts will be donated to the Louis D. Brown
Peace Institute, and 4 Peace is looking for more ways to have an impact.

“We’d like to come back to the House of Correction,” said
Edo G. “If Sheriff Cabral will have us, we’d like to come
in once a month and teach a music class and give the inmates something
constructive and positive.”

4 Peace’s music video is set to air in August, with an album
soon to follow.